


i know you, i walked with you once upon a Dream...

by ashes_unbiased



Series: so familiar a gleam [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Dark Magic, Deaf Character, Dream SMP Lore, Fae & Fairies, Fairy Tale Curses, Immortality, Implied Sexual Content, Inspired by Fanart, M/M, Purple Prose, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Rescue Missions, Sleeping Beauty Elements, Web Series: Tales from the SMP, Worldbuilding, callahan is deaf and knows sign
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:08:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29598771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashes_unbiased/pseuds/ashes_unbiased
Summary: "And another thing, I don’t need some prince from a mysterious kingdom to save me.”Dream smiled and plucked the lily pad off George’s head, kneeling at the crown prince’s feet before kissing each of the knuckles on his left hand. The prince gasped at the feeling of soft lips on his skin. The group of fairies surrounding them sighed dreamily.“I don’t doubt that, your Majesty. However, you may need me yet, once upon a dream.”
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: so familiar a gleam [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2174568
Comments: 26
Kudos: 194





	i know you, i walked with you once upon a Dream...

**Author's Note:**

> so, I've had this fic rattling around in my brain for a few days ever since I saw snowy's George as sleeping beauty then her dnf art. gotta love brain rot, it just causes all kinds of problems (especially when ur a college junior with a Twitter addiction) lmao.
> 
> This is going to be part of a series, and I'm planning to write a sequel to the events in the first work. (I hope that makes sense...) btw italics mean memories from Dream or George's POV
> 
> ALSO!!! please do go check out snowy on Twitter! her art is really amazing, not to mention she's a complete sweetheart!
> 
> the art that inspired me:  
> https://twitter.com/snoweapl/status/1357547656571023364  
> https://twitter.com/snoweapl/status/1362577288173293568
> 
> the songs I looped while writing:  
> Lana Del Rey - Once Upon a Dream  
> Disney's Sleeping Beauty - Original Movie Soundtrack

_ A yelp and a splash echo through the forest and Dream’s head snapped towards the excitedly giggling fairies who were quickly gathering around a reflecting pond surrounded by weeping willows. Another fairy landed on his green brocade-covered shoulder as he jerked his horse toward the commotion. _

_ “It seems your companion fell into the pond, your grace.” She slyly whispered as he trotted Spirit over to the group of the curious fae. George’s spirited filly, Fen, nickered playfully at her prince who was sitting in waist-deep water before her. _

_ The scene Dream came upon of Prince George sitting in a pond with a lily pad on his head and a toad on his knee, cloak floating around him and bodily soaked to the bone was enough to make Dreams piercing tea-kettle wheeze pierce the air as he clambered down from Spirit to help George out of the sparkling pool of water. _

_ “Please tell me you didn’t mean to fall into the pond.” Dream crouched at the edge of the water, his gloved hand held out to George, who rolled his eyes as he took the offered help. _

_ “No, Dream I didn’t mean to fall in. And another thing, I don’t need some prince from a mysterious kingdom to save me.” George griped as he struggled up the mossy slope of the bank. Once George was on dry land, Dream plucked the lily pad off George’s head and bent the knee at the crown prince’s feet before kissing each of the knuckles on his hand. The prince gasped at the feeling of soft lips on his skin. The group of fairies surrounding them sighed dreamily. _

_ “I don’t doubt that, your Majesty. However, you may need me yet, once upon a dream.”  _

* * *

Dream had heard the rumors, of course. That George’s kingdom had been destroyed in a mass epidemic and he had been spelled by an enchantress and cursed to sleep forever. Somehow he didn’t want to believe them, not  _ his George _ . Not the strong boy he sparred with when his own family visited, not the boy he fell in love with each time they snuck out of the palace to the Moors to break the rules of palace courting practices strictly enforced by George’s parents. To chase each other through flower forests laughing like maniacs, running like hell through a mushroom forest screaming wildly when Dream finally caught George’s waist, pulling him in for his victory kiss. Which always led to more intimate moments between the two boys, tucked into a glen of flowers, always shielded by a weeping willow’s branches or lilac bushes. George’s gasps urging Dream to do more than just covet.

Now that Dream was here, puffy white snowflakes dancing on the wind, finally seeing the destruction and still smoking buildings laid out before him, his heart dropped. He’d brought two friends with him, Sapnap and Callahan, who trotted alongside Dream and Spirit on their horses silently, not wanting to disturb the air of quiet. Everywhere they looked, there were skeletons marred with black rot holes. It seemed nobody had escaped the enchantress’ wrath. 

After riding through the remains of the small village where a group of the skeletons was arranged in a strange formation, the huge castle loomed before Dream, Callahan, and Sapnap. The outer wall was covered in Wither roses, and vines as thick as Dream’s bicep with thorns as long as the sword on his hip and twice as sharp. The gate opened easily, whining on rusty hinges. The courtyard was slowly filling with drifting snow, and it was obvious to Dream that this used to be the beautiful castle that belonged to George’s family but the only remaining visible structure beneath the overgrown vines was the tower. 

“Dream, are you sure he’s here? Last we heard, everyone in this kingdom died in the Sickness.” Sapnap piped up from behind Dream, as he secured the horses. The wind whipped through Dream’s forest green cloak, the mask on his face hiding his emotions. and his netherite armor shimmered in the spotty sunlight.

“I… I can’t believe I left him here. I left him here in this fucking wasteland to suffer, Sapnap,” Dream answers, the barest hint of anger touching his voice. Sapnap looks at Dream sadly and waits for his brother to continue. “I  _ left  _ him because I was bodily removed by mother’s guards at her fucking insistence that I keep my immortality secret from the boy I was courting. What a fucking spectacle.” 

Callahan touched Dream’s shoulder and signed ‘it wasn’t your fault, you couldn’t have stopped any of this.’

“And you’re here now, to wake him up and take him back. Nothing else should matter, Dream.” Sapnap said as Dream nodded and took a step forward to the heavy mahogany doors that led to the familiar entrance hall of George’s castle. As he pulled them open, stale air, rose petals, and the stench of death wafted out of the darkness. 

* * *

_ “You should sneak me out, Clay, it’s so stuffy in this castle in the spring,” George giggles from his place on Dream’s chest. The brunet reaches up and traces the smattering of tan freckles on Dream’s face. Dream chuckles lowly in his chest, pulling his prince fully into his lap.  _

_ “Where would I even take you? Your father would have his knights and hounds after us as soon as he discovered us missing, buttercup.” Dream pressed soft kisses to the place where George’s shoulder and neck met, and slowly inhaled the scent of the fresh-cut lilac soap his little sister had made for George as a present. The crown prince gasped wetly and threaded his fingers in silky blond hair as Dream continued to leave dark possessive marks on his porcelain skin. _

_ “T-the Moors, take me to the M-moors, Clay. We can be alone there, you know we can.” Dream smirked against his prince’s skin and climbed out of the king-sized bed surrounded by gossamer blue fabric hanging from the canopy. Bright green eyes sparkled in the low candlelight, to George they looked fäe, dangerous. The blond leaned against the canopy’s wicker frame, stared his prince in the eyes, and whispered, _

_ “don’t you know we’re already there?” George's smile lit up his face like a thousand stars. It was secretly dream's favorite thing, to see the brunet smile and know it was because of him. The sounds of night in the Moors surrounded them and what used to be George's bed at the palace morphed into a canopy bed made from tree trunks and mushrooms. The gossamer fabric still surrounded them, blowing in the gentle breeze as Dream cupped George's chin to lead him into a deep kiss. They fell into each other in the safety of the Moors surrounded by fireflies and wisps. _

_ George confesses in broken gasps and cries to Dream how long he’s searched for a place to worship and, oh, Dream wonders if the other angels fell so sweetly.  _

_ “c-clay-!” _

* * *

As soon as the doors open, Dream is immediately hit with the stench of death. Vomit and bile rise into Dreams throat. Rotting corpses trying in vain to be covered by the sickly sweet smell of roses. The vines were bigger here, curling in on themselves and the flower petals molting as the new ones began blooming. The thorns were wickedly sharp and Dream could see visible drips of poison hitting the marble floor, hissing as the stone eroded. 

“Don’t touch the thorns, they’re poisoned.” Dream warned his friends, immediately drew his sword, and stepped over the bodies that lined the front hall. The unlucky adventurers had tried to wake George up without knowing the true extent of the curse.  _ Dumb bastards _ , Dream thought and pushed further into the entrance hall. 

It took them over an hour to get through the mess of skeletons and rose vines in the main castle area. The vines began to thin out as Dream, Sapnap, and Callahan ascended the stairs towards the tower. Before the group climbed the tower, Dream stops to look out over the ballroom filled with roses, vines, and bones. The night George was cursed, he remembered like it was yesterday. 

_ The music was quietly wafting out over the Blackstone stone steps of the castle. Dream presented his invitation to the herald, who recited his title to the room.  _

_ “Announcing the arrival of the High Prince Dream hailing from… uh my apologies, Where is your kingdom, your grace?” _

_ “None of your business.” Dream entered the gala without a second glance at the herald. _

_ The gathered lords and ladies part for Dream in his Netherite armor, glinting in the candlelight, probably because he looks as sharp as a whip.  _

_ “How mysterious. He’s a prince and he won’t allow his kingdom name to be announced.” _

_ “Look at his armor, he’s obviously a warrior.” _

  
  


_ There was a line of hopeful suitors out the door of the castle bringing gifts for the Crown Prince’s 21st birthday. At his father’s demand, he met the hopeful few. With a guard of his own as an escort, Dream pulled up his hood and breezed past the line of boys and girls alike patiently waiting their turn to see Prince George. Someone grabbed Dream’s fluttering cloak and yanked hard as he walked past. _

_ “Hey! Don’t cut the line! We’ve been waiting for hours and the party hasn’t even started!” Dream turned and looked at the person with the death grip on his cloak; a tall, lanky, brunet, boy with circle frame glasses perched on his nose and a stack of first edition books wrapped in cyan ribbon clutched to his chest, he had a cloak of his own in butter yellow with a crest of wings emblazoned on the bronze medallion over his heart. The mask Dream wore caused several people behind the lanky boy to gasp in fear and tuck themselves into the alcove. Dream chuckled darkly and yanked on his own cloak harshly, tugging the boy from the line onto his knees. _

_ “Prince Wilbur, If you don’t let me go, I’ll cut your hand off and feed it to my dogs.” Wilbur swallowed shakily and immediately dropped the cloak. Dream continued onto the secret entrance to the throne room.  _

_ Dream could hear the sound of George talking behind the draped curtain backdrop of the thrones. _

_ “Yes, thank you for the gift. I hope you enjoy the gala.” the sound of receding footsteps was immediately followed by George sighing in frustration as the doors to the room closed.  _

_ “Are you alright, your highness?” the knight in the room asked. _

_ “Yes, I’m fine, just wishing Dream was here. He always comes to these things and saves me.”  _

_ The knight spotted Dream as he slipped out of the cover of the drapes, Dream raised a finger to his lips and pulled out a blue rose cast in a thin layer of glass.  _

_ “I completely understand, we only have 50 more hopefuls. Then we can go down to the party, maybe he’s there.” George hummed at the proposal before yelping as Dreams hand covered his field of vision.  _

_ “Don’t scream pretty boy and you get a present.” Dream chuckled lowly and kissed behind George’s left ear. George giggled and squirmed out of the makeshift blindfold to practically jump into Dream’s arms.  _

_ “Gods, Clay you absolute psychopath! Where were you?” George tugged the hood off his silky golden hair and undid the ribbon tying the mask, revealing brilliant green eyes and a field of freckles.  _

_ Dream presents the blue rose to George and goes about kissing every inch of exposed skin he can find. “Bringing you this.” George’s eyes welled with tears and the kiss they shared at that moment was everything they couldn’t think of. “I’m here, I’ll never stop loving you, and you’re the only one that matters.”  _

* * *

It was so cold at the top of the tower. The glass of the windows was broken and scattered across the floor, allowing snow to slip into the chamber that Dream was quite familiar with. The furniture was destroyed by the vines that had managed to grow even up here. Especially around the bed, there was a lot. So many roses and thorns all protecting one thing. George. 

At that moment, even with Sapnap and Callahan watching, Dream didn’t care. He ran to him anyway. Dream pulls the mask off his face and sets it on the bed, his cloak has draped over the edge of the bed where he’s kneeled next to George and it’s the first time he’s seen George in over 100 years. There were thorns growing dangerously close to George’s face and blue rose petals floated down from above the bed. 

“Dream, what are you waiting for? Wake him up.” Sapnap asked from the bedroom entryway and before Dream could even respond, all the ambient light left the room, save for the column illuminating the bed and George’s face. 

“Yes Dream, Why are you waiting? Don’t tell me it’s because you’re remembering  _ that day. _ The day you broke his heart?” Dream had only ever met the enchantress once, at George’s 21st birthday gala when his curse was bestowed, but her voice was just as grating as ever. Fury coursed through Dream’s veins and he grabbed for the hilt of his sword only to be forcibly shoved back ten feet toward Sapnap and Callahan by a woman dressed in dark robes with a hood drawn over her eyes. The thorny vines in the room moved away from George with a wave of her hand and she sat down by his head to card a hand through his chocolate hair. 

The memory of the day he was forced to leave burns like acid as it replays in Dream’s head; 

* * *

_ It was late when his mother’s personal guard, Sam, marched into the room he was sharing with George with the King hot at his heels and forcibly removed Dream from George’s bed. The King shook George awake and Sam pulled his prince to a standing position. There was so much screaming, the King threatening Dream and his mother with war if he ever saw him in the kingdom again. George was sobbing, grabbing for Dream’s outstretched hand but falling short due to his father’s guards restraining him as Dream was forcibly escorted out by a group of Dream’s own guards.  _

_ A nightmare in all regards concocted by their own parents. _

_ “Fucking- Let me go! Sam, what the fuck?” Dream hissed as he pulled a linen shirt over his head when the group reached Dream’s assigned room. Sam is quietly leaned against the blackstone brick wall and brooding. _

_ “I hope you know, I didn’t want to do that. She made me. I had orders. Here, from her Excellency.” Sam handed an envelope sealed with Dream’s family crest to the prince and continued to brood against the wall. As Dream read the message written is his mother’s beautiful curling script, dread settled in his stomach.  _

_ “We need to go. Now.”  _

_ What his father told him couldn’t be true, they couldn’t just leave. Dream wouldn’t do that, not without telling him what was happening. sure, Dream always had a way of explaining things with words that were saturated with honey and purple prose but it was Dream.  _

_ The ride to the edge of the moors in the thunderstorm was something George never thought he would do, thunder and lightning were his companions and he urged his stolen horse faster.  _

_ As he approached, the trees began to mesh together in a formation that had only happened when Dream was protecting him. Large obsidian spikes pierced through the soil and spooked his horse, throwing him off onto the shaking earth. That jolted him back to reality and suddenly all his emotions hit him at once. The tears flowed freely and a gut-wrenching sob ripped free from his chest.  _

_ “D-Dream… you promised you wouldn’t leave me alone here… don’t tell me that you were lying…”  _

_ But much to the prince’s sadness, his Dream faded away without a goodbye, and his heart began to wither inside its gilded cage. _

* * *

“So you see, Prince Dream, it’s all come down to this moment. Many have tried and failed to wake up ‘your prince’. A hundred years and no one has succeeded. You were the closest, I could feel his consciousness trying to swim to the surface of the curse for you. What a pity that you’ll never be able to wake him up after all.” She caressed a perfectly manicured hand down George's cheek and the enchantress appeared before Dream.

Dream feels a sharp pain at the back of his head and the last thing he sees before he fades out of consciousness is the bed where George is displayed. Dream hears Sapnap’s worried voice in the background as the enchantress speaks again.

“I’m going to keep him asleep for eternity. There's going to be a day, Dream, when a warrior comes to cut you down. Old, young, it doesn't matter. You’ll be their enemy and they’ll kill you dead. How would you like a taste of mortality, son of the Gods?” 


End file.
